• Dimension: Height: 42 1/8 in (107 cm) Width: 27 5/8 in (70.2 cm)
• Estimate From: $38000
• Estimate To: $68000

Of double gourd form, this magnificent buddha's shrine was cast to accomdate nine near identitcal gilt-bronze Manjusri figures, the thoroughtly gilded exterior finely densely decorated with meandering lotus sprays, and further tied at the waist with a flowing ribbon, the gourd top surmounted with a large coral bead, all supported on tiered plinth and raised by four short feet, with openwork design of Tibetan diety and lotus scrolls; each Manjusri figure is cast seated in dhyanasana on a double lotus base with the right hand raised wielding a sword and the left in vitarkamudra holding the stem of a lotus flower, the base sealed. Qing Dynasty Qianlong period.

龛原指掘鑿岩崖爲空，以安置佛像之所。據《觀佛三昧海經》卷四記載，“之須彌山有龛室無量，其中有無數化佛”。佛龛多爲虔誠的佛教徒所收藏，或是寺廟陳列。 佛龛在清宮佛堂中占有顯要位置，融合官式和宗教建築造型的特點，設計嚴謹，非宮廷造辦處不能出此工。此件銅鎏金佛龛以葫蘆爲造型，刻纏枝蓮紋，中間飾绶帶，配紅珊瑚頂，九間格子爲龛，供奉九尊文殊菩薩造像，莊嚴肅穆，造型独特，体格巨大，盡顯皇家氣派，極爲難得。類似佛龛可參考一如意頭式木制佛龛，藏于承德避暑山莊，並著錄于《清宮秘藏-承德避暑山莊藏傳佛教文物特展》，圖錄觀想文物藝術有限公司，台灣，1999年1月，92
來源：洛杉磯資深藏家收藏 1980年前購於香港 Provenance: Important private collection, Los Angeles, acquired in Hong Kong before 1980s